Bicycle-frame.



'L. H. COBB.

BICYCLE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.28.1913.

Patented B90115 1914.

Inventor Zyman [2160573. By W 6 [ff/away *lTE dTlild' PATENT UFFTCE.

LYMAN H. COBB, 0F FITCHB'URG, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MARY ELIZABETHJOHNSON,'TEUSTEE, OF FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLE-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914..

Application filed January 28, 1913. Serial No. 744,648.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LYMAN H. COBB, a citizenof the United States, residing at Fitchburg, in the county of Worcesterand Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in:

mitted to the rider and the motor, it is com mon to provide a framewhich is more or less resilient.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of resilientframe for this purpose which shall be strong and simple in construction.

\Vhile a frame constructed in accordance with my invention isparticularly adapted for use in motorcycles, it is obvious that it maybe used to advantage in ordinary bicycles.

Other objects of the invention reside in certain details of constructionas pointed out in the appended claims and as shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side View of a motorcycle with aresilient frame constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is aplan view of my peculiar resilient connection, the saddle and the upperend of the seat post tube being removed; Fig. 3 is a side view of theresilient connection, a portion being in section to show details ofconstruction; Fig. & is a rear view of the upper end of the seat posttube, showing a peculiarly formed member carried thereby for supportingthe spring portion of the connection; and Fig. 5 is a view of the upperface of the spring portion of the connection looking in the direction ofthe arrow of Fig. 3, the head of the bolt in the upper end of the springbeing removed to show the cross sectional shape of the bolt.

Like reference characters refer to similar parts in the differentfigures.

A motorcycle is shown in the drawing for the purpose of illustrating theprinci-V ples of the invention. The main portion of the frame of themotorcycle includes a seat post tube 1, a backbone 2, a head 3, a frontbrace if and a cross brace 5. A motor (5 for driving the machine iscarried as usual by the lower part of this portion of the frame. Therear portion of theframe includes a rear folk 7 and a lower rear brace8, this fork and brace being rigidly connected where they meet at theaxle of the rear wheel 9. The upper end of the fork 7 is connected withthe seat post tube 1 by a resilient connection which embodies theprinciples of the present invention and, in order that there may berelative movement between this fork and the seat post tube, the forwardend of the brace 8 is pivotally connected at 10 to the lower end of theseat 1 post tube 1 and so to the main portion of the frame.

A spring 11 is supported at its lower end by a peculiarly constructedmember 12 rigidly attached, preferably by brazing, to the rear face ofthe upper end of the seat post tube 1. The spring 11 consists of aplurality of leaf springs, its lower end being secured to the lower ormain portion of the supporting member 12 so as to lie approxi.

mately parallel to the axis of the seat post tube 1. V The lower end ofthe supporting mem-.

ber 12 has a broad flat face for the spring 11 to rest against and isprovided with lateral perforated ears 13 through which bolts l t and aU-bolt 15 pass for the purpose of securing the spring 11 in place.

The fork 7 terminates at its upper end in two spaced and somewhatflattened extremities 16 and 1?, the two sides of the fork beingconnected it short distance below these extremities by a cross brace 18.

The upper portion of the spring 11 is curved rearwardly away from theseat post tube 1, and its upper end rests upon a U-shaped saddle 19pivotally supported by the upper extremities 16 and 17 of the rear fork7. The individual leaves of the spring 11 are of substantially the samelength and through the upper ends ofthe leaves is and is larger than thecircular nut end of the boltso as to provide a shoulder 22 to bearagainst the upper faceof the base of the saddle 19. The rectangularportion of the bolt 21 is slightly longer than the combined thickness ofthe leaves of the spring 11, so that the leaves may be secured looselyto the saddle 1 9 to'permit them to'slide upon each otheras they arebent back and forth while in use. The elongation of the opening 20 inthe leaves is also for the purpose of permitting this relative slidingmovement of the upper ends of the leaves, this feature also furtherpermitting relative movement'of the upper end of the fork 7 and thespring 11 as a whole. The'arms or sides of the saddle 19 terminate inhookshap'edextremities which engage over the the upper ends of theextremities l6--and 17 of the fork 7 a pin or bolt 23 being passedthrough the opposed sides of eachof these hooks and through the upperend of the corresponding extremity of the --fork 7, the saddle beingthus pivotally su ported.

The upper portion of the spring supporting member 12 consists of anarrow upwardly tapering rib 241 lying between the seat post tube 1 andthe free upper portion of the spring 11. This rib is sufliciently thickat its lower end to fill completely the space between the seatpost tubeand. the

spring, buttapers gradually to a point approximately oppositethe upperend of the that, with the rib or stop 24: present, the

spring 11 may be made weaker and, therefore, more resilient than wouldotherwise be practicable. A further important function of the rib 24: isto prevent sudden contact of the free end of the spring llwith theadjacent portion of the seat post tube 1 as the machine passes overunusually rough places. vUnder such conditions, the free curved portionof the spring 11 will be straightened or bent considerably toward theseat post tube, but its strength will be increased at the same time tosuch an extent as most probably to prevent contact between its upper endand the seat post tube and, in any event, it will prevent thepossibility of contact sufficientlyviolent to be objectionable.

Certain parts of the machine,-such as the front wheel 25, the front fork26, the fuel tank 27, the driving belt 28 and the saddle 29, while shownin the drawing, are not 111- so will What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: v i v 1. A bicycle frame including a seatpost tube, a rear fork, a spring connecting the seat post tube and therear fork, anda stop between the spring and the seat post tube todecrease the effective length of the springfas it' is bent towardtheseat post tube. a

2. A bicycle frame including a seat post tube, a rear fork,'a springconnecting the seat post tube and the rear fork, and 'a'rib between thespring and the seat posttu'beto decrease the effective length of thespring a V it is bent toward the seat posttube. f

3. A bicycle frame including a seat post tube, a-rear fork, a springconnecting-the seat post tube and the rear fork, and a titpered ribbetween the spring and the seat post tube to decrease theefiectivelength of p the spring as it is bent toward the seat post tube.Y i i 4. A bicycle frame including a seat-post tube, a lower rear bracepivoted at the lower end of the seat post tube, a rear-- fork, a springconnecting the seat post tube and the rear fork, and a stop between thespring and the seat post tube to decrease the effectivelength-of thespring as it is bent toward the seat post tube.

5. A'bicyclevframe including a seat post tube, a rear fork having twospaced upper extremities, a U-shaped saddle with its arms attachedrespectivelyto said extremities of.

the rear fork, whereby the saddle is. sus pended between said twoextremities of the rear fork, and a spring having one end secured to theseat post tube and the other end carried by the saddle.

6. A bicycle frame including a seat post tube, a rear fork having twospaced upper.

extremities, a 'U-shaped saddle pivotally suspended between said twoextremities ofthe 7 rear fork, and a spring having one end se-' cured totheseat post tube and the other end carried by the saddle.

tube, a rear fork having two spaced upper 7. A bicycle frame including aseat post extremities, a U-shaped saddle having hook shaped endsengaging over the extremities of the rear fork and secured thereto, anda spring having one end secured to the seat,

end carried by the extremities, a U-shaped saddle having hook shapedends engaging over the extremities oi the rear fork and pivoted thereto,and a spring having one end secured to the seat post tube and the otherend carried by the saddle.

9. A bicycle frame including a seat post tube, a rear fork, a. springhaving a plurality of leaves of substantially the same length, one endof the spring being secured to the seat post tube and the other endbeing 7 provided with an elongated opening passing through the leaves, amember carried by the leaves of the spring to have relative slidingmovement as they are bent.

Dated this 24th day of January 1918.

LYMAN H. COBB.

Witnesses PENELOPE COMBERBACH, NELLIE WVHALEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,'by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 1L0.

